A secondary battery includes a battery case having a plurality of partition walls defining a plurality of side-by-side cell spaces opening through a top portion of the battery case. Cell elements are placed in the respective cell spaces. The cell elements are interconnected suitably to provide the desired output voltage between terminals of end cell elements.
In such a battery construction, the cell elements themselves are made up of a plurality of individual plates of like polarity interconnected in parallel by suitable connecting straps. The connecting straps, in turn, define connections providing series interconnection between the respective cell elements.
In such battery constructions, the intermediate cell elements are similar. The end cell elements differ from the intermediate cell elements in the provision of terminal means thereon for providing terminal connections either through the top cover portion of the completed battery or through a sidewall portion thereof, as desired.
In inserting such battery elements into the container cells, such assembly has primarily been accomplished by a hand operation utilizing boxing inserts, or guides, to assist in inserting the elements into the respective intermediate and terminal or end cells, although mechanical apparatuses are also known for accomplishing insertion of the element into a cell.
Heretofore, such battery assembly has been relatively expensive, slow and requires an inordinate amount of undesirable element handling, which frequently results in damage to separators and shedding of active material.